Broken Ballad (WHN)
by Pt29646
Summary: Written for a Nightmare Challenge on another site, this short story follows Adam Cartwright and Will and Sally Cass.


Will Cass struggled in his sleep. He fought to wake from the nightmare in which a demon crouched over him. "You're mine," it hissed. He opened his eyes to find that it was true. "A bad dream," he whimpered. "You're just a bad dream!"

The creature laughed. "You wish…you've given yourself to me, Will. Welcome to Hell!" It opened its jaws wide, and Will had a moment to glimpse jagged teeth, a lizard tongue, and beyond it…flames.

"Noooooo," he cried as he was sucked into the demon. His last seconds were filled with burning agony, and then, mercifully, nothing.

The creature swallowed, burped, licked its lips, and assumed the shape of the late Will Cass. He looked around the room. It was small with a bed, chair, table, and lamp. _Well, I have time for a nap_, it thought, and took Cass's place in the bed.

A few hours later Sally Cass knocked on her father's bedroom door. "Pa, breakfast is ready."

The Will demon opened its eyes, and listened. Sally knocked again. "Pa, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, um, dear." The endearment came reluctantly, and the demon winced as he spoke.

"Pa, you sound different. Are you feeling well?" She turned the knob, and found the door locked.

"I'm fine…just a little hoarse…go on and leave me alone. There's nothing you can do for me."

Sally hesitated, "Well, if you're sure…" He heard her heels click on the wood floor as she walked away.

_Yes, I'm sure_, the demon laughed to itself. _There's nothing you can do for your dear old_ _father now, my dear, nothing at all for that pathetic lump_. He burped. _The old man didn't have a good aftertaste_. He made a face and rolled over to sleep a little longer.

Sally had just opened the store when Adam Cartwright came in. "Good morning," she smiled when she saw him. Adam had been a good friend to Ed Payson and to her. She'd been drawn to Ed, had known him since she was a child. When he had accidentally killed her brother, her father had cut off all contact with him.

When Ed returned to Virginia City with plans to rebuild his parents' farm, she had renewed their friendship. It had deepened into love, but he hadn't lived long enough for them to marry. Her father's rage and the actions of young Billy Buckley had resulted in Ed's death.

It was hard for Sally to forgive her father for the role he'd played in that tragedy, but talks with Adam and the minister, Reverend Jordan, had helped her. It had been easier to forgive Billy Buckley, the young man who actually shot Ed, since he'd been carrying out her father's wishes.

Adam handed her the ranch's shopping list. "Is your Pa sleeping in today?"

Sally began to take items from the shelf and put them on the counter. "Yes, he sounded hoarse this morning. I'll check on him in a bit, and, if he's not better, I'll get Dr. Martin to take a look at him."

"There's no need for that. Good morning, Adam."

They turned to see Will coming down the stairs. He looked well enough. As he came closer, Adam studied the older man. Will Cass had been a good friend to the Cartwrights ever since they'd landed in the Comstock. He'd given Ben credit their first few years as they established and built the Ponderosa. Ben remembered his generosity, and, most of the time, Adam remembered it, too. The business with Ed Payson had been troubling, and, although Adam tried not to hold it against his family's old friend, he found it difficult. He was always polite to Mr. Cass, but it was more out of respect to his father and Sally than any personal regard.

"Good morning, Will." He turned to Sally. "If you'll give me the key to the storeroom, I'll get the bags of flour and sugar."

Sally handed him the key, and Adam moved behind the counter and unlocked the door. He hefted a sack of flour onto his shoulder and took it outside. To his surprise, Will followed him, a sack of similar size on his own shoulder. "Will, you don't have to do that," Adam protested. "I can load the wagon."

"Nonsense, boy, I can't have my customers waiting on themselves. They'll go somewhere else if I'm not careful." He heaved the heavy load into the back of the wagon with one hand, and Adam stared in shock. Not even Hoss could do that.

As he turned back towards the store, Adam caught a red glint shining in Cass's eyes. The hair on the back of his neck rose, and a shiver ran down his spine. _Don't be silly,_ he chided himself. _You'll be making signs against the evil eye next._

Sally had the rest of the order boxed up and ready to go, and Will carried it to the wagon as Adam lugged out a sack of sugar. With the wagon loaded, Adam didn't have a reason to stay in town. He was reluctant to leave Sally alone with her father, but he couldn't think why. A strict believer in logic and reason, Adam wasn't a fanciful man, but he had a bad feeling about Will Cass.

…

Sally Cass sat in Dr. Paul Martin's office, a damp handkerchief clutched in her fingers. She was thin and the deep circles under her eyes looked like bruises on her pale face. A cup of tea cooled on a nearby table, and Marian Martin, the doctor's wife and nurse, leaned close. "What's the matter, dear? You've been so tired and nervy. Paul and I are very concerned about you."

Sally shook her head. "It's nothing…my imagination…everything is fine…" she mumbled. Marian gave a sigh of frustration and sat back. She looked up as the door opened, and Paul came in, followed by Adam Cartwright.

The doctor took Sally's wrist and felt her pulse. "Now, young lady, what foolishness have you been up to?"

His kindness sent her over the edge and she began to cry. Marian rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry to be so silly," Sally whispered. "I'm sure it's my imagination…"

"Your imagination caused you to faint in the street?" Adam asked. "Sally, what's wrong?"

The young woman hesitated and then spoke, "Pa. He's…different. I can't explain it, it sounds ridiculous."

Adam remembered his feelings about Will Cass a few weeks before. He'd put it down to an overactive imagination, but now he wondered. He'd known Sally all of her life and he knew her to be practical and down to earth.

"Has he done anything? Said anything to upset you? Or frightened you?" Adam hesitated over the last words, but he had to know…they had to know.

She shook her head again. "No, he just…watches me. Sometimes I'll turn around and he's watching me and his eyes seem to glow with a red light. I know it sounds foolish…like something out of a fairy tale!"

_One of Grimm's more gruesome ones,_ Adam thought.

Sally stood up suddenly. "I'm being very silly. There's nothing wrong with Pa or me. I need to get back to work." She looked up at Adam. "Thank you for helping me today. I don't know why I fainted, but I'm much better." She turned to Paul and Marian. "Thank you for the tea. I'm fine, really. You mustn't worry about me."

Before they could say anything else, she was out the door and across the street. They watched her go, and Paul said, "That young lady is anything but fine." He frowned. "I wonder if she's been taking some kind of patent medicine."

Adam said goodbye to the Martins and followed her across the street and into the store. Will was behind the counter, and Sally was putting out bolts of dress goods on display. They looked up as Adam came inside. "Good afternoon, Adam. What can I get for you?" Will asked.

Adam smiled. "Nothing, Will. I'm here to ask Sally if she'd like to go to the barn dance with me on Saturday."

She looked surprised, but Will smiled and answered for her. "Of course, she'd love to go, wouldn't you, dear?"

I_ was talking to Sally_, Adam thought, but he hid his irritation with the older man and Sally gave a slight nod. "Good," Adam said. "I'll come early for you, and we'll have dinner at the International House," _and maybe I can find out what's bothering you_.

That evening Adam seemed quieter than usual. He sat in his favorite chair, a book in his hands. Ben noticed that while he appeared to be reading, he'd turned no pages. After a few minutes, Ben asked, "Is anything on your mind, son?"

"Sally Cass fainted in the street today, and I carried her over to Paul's office."

Ben was concerned. "Did he find a cause for her to faint?"

"At first she didn't say anything, then, when she did, she said it was her father, that his eyes seemed to have a red glow. Finally she said she was being silly, apologized for the bother, and left." He looked up at his father. "Pa, I've known Sally all her life and most of mine. She's not given to fancies. She's too thin, and I know she isn't sleeping well. Paul thinks she might be taking some patent medicine."

Ben frowned. "Son, I know you've had hard feelings against Will since the business with Ed Payson. So has Sally. Maybe her grief and anger have given way to some kind of breakdown. She's seeing things that aren't there, that can't be there." He thought for a minute and then scoffed, "Red eyes! It sounds like something out of a fairy tale." He took the newspaper Adam had picked up in town that morning and sat down.

Adam gave up on his book and went upstairs.

…

Adam finished work early Saturday afternoon, took a bath and changed, and rode into town. He took Sport to the livery stable, arranged for his care, and headed towards the Cass's store.

"Afternoon, Adam." Paul Martin approached, and Adam waited. "Here for Sally?"

"Yes," Adam nodded. "I'm taking her to dinner at the hotel and then on to the dance."

"That's what Marian and I have planned," Paul said. "I just hope no one needs my services tonight. I can't remember the last time I got to dance with my wife."

Adam chuckled and the two men walked together towards the Cass General Store. As Paul crossed over to his office, Adam pressed down on the door latch. It was locked. He knocked and waited. There was no answer. It was unusual for Will, for any of the merchants to close early on a Saturday. That was the day people came into Virginia City to buy supplies and visit.

Adam knocked again and called, "Sally! Will! It's Adam Cartwright!"

Suddenly Paul was at this side. "What's going on, Adam?"

The younger man shook his head. "I don't know. The store's closed, and I can't get an answer from Will or Sally."

As he spoke, Adam moved over to one of the store's windows and peered inside. Sally lay on the floor, her father bent over her. He knocked on the window, and Will looked up. His eyes were glowing red, and Adam moved back to the door. He took his gun from its holster, and struck the glass above the door latch.

Paul was horrified. "What do you think you're doing, Adam? You can't break into the store!"

"There's something bad wrong, Paul." He reached inside and unlocked the door. They crowded together inside.

Will Cass stood up when he heard the glass break, and looked at the two men. They stared at him, horrified by his red eyes. "What are you?" Adam gasped.

"I have many names," Will hissed, "You may know me best as Belial."

Adam shuddered, _Belial,_ he thought, _one of the crown princes of Hell!_ "Sally…what do you want with her? She's innocent."

Belial grinned. "She's mine. Her father traded his soul and hers to me in exchange for Ed Payson's death."

Paul spoke up and Adam jumped. He'd forgotten the doctor was there. "Ed was killed in a gunfight."

Belial laughed, "I was there to feed Will's rage, to possess Billy's mind and body, even to guide the bullet. And I did all of that for the cost of two souls." He swept his arm in their direction and flames leaped up between the men and the demon. As the fire grew, Belial turned back to Sally, bending over her. He lowered his face to hers and opened his mouth, preparing to suck out her life, her soul. Paul picked up the closest object and threw it with all his might at the demon, striking it hard.

"Aaagh!" It reared up, turning away from its prey. The guise of Will Cass fell away, and a great horned beast appeared. It walked through the flames towards them. Adam drew his gun and fired, but the demon kept coming.

Suddenly Paul shouted, "Get out! In the Name of God, get out! I rebuke you, you foul thing, you demon, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! GET OUT!

There was a rush of wind, and the flames began to flicker. The demon stood frozen in place. The fire died, the wind continued to blow, and Adam and Paul watched as the creature blew away in bits and pieces. In a very few minutes there was nothing left but a stench of rot and a wisp of smoke. Sally moaned, and Paul nudged Adam. "Take her over to my office."

Adam lifted her easily and strode outside. The sun shone, and the boardwalks were crowded. People laughed and talked as they milled through the street. If it hadn't been for the unconscious woman in his arms, he could have believed that the last few minutes had been some kind of terrible hallucination.

Marian saw Adam coming, and opened the door for him. As he laid Sally on the chaise, she asked "Where's Paul?"

"Right here," her husband said. He was behind Adam. He carried something from the store, and put it down before turning to his patient. He checked her pulse and then waved smelling salts under her nose. She came to with a start, and Paul calmed her, "It's all right, Sally."

Sally Cass shivered, "Pa…I was so scared…"

Paul took her hand gently in his and knelt before her. "I'm sorry, dear, but your father is dead."

Sally looked up and Adam nodded. The import of Paul's words struck her, and she began to cry. After a few minutes, Marian put her arms around her and took her off to their guest room.

Paul and Adam were left alone. "You saved us, Paul, all three of us," Adam said. "What did you throw at that thing?"

Paul looked down at the book he'd brought from the store, and then he handed it to Adam. On the front cover were embossed the words, _Holy Bible_.

Bro


End file.
